Massachusetts man gets prison time for arranging to have sex with minor

A Massachusetts man was sentenced on Thursday to more than 12 years in prison for traveling to the Capital Region to have sex with someone he thought was a 10-year-old girl.

Martin Connearney, 35, of Lenox, had pleaded guilty last February. Connearney admitted that between April 6, 2022 and May 5, 2022 he communicated online with a person to discuss meeting up with a girl with speech and hearing difficulties who lived in the area.

He actually was communicating with an undercover officer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Connearney borrowed a car to drive to the area and he was arrested by police when he arrived at the prearranged location, according to prosecutors. 

U.S. District Judge Anne Nardacci handed down a sentence of 151 months in prison. The length of the sentence was based upon the fact that he intended to take advantage of a vulnerable victim.

He also will serve 20 years of post-release supervision and be required to register as a sex offender.